A day in the life of a volunteer mom

I sat down to write a letter. Yes, write. Not type. Not text. Write.
It’s been a long time since I’ve done more than jot down a school absence note. Writing is a skill that shouldn’t die out with the computer and cell phone age.
While I’m disgusted by the language and spelling used in most texts and on most social networks I am also guilty of throwing a “BRB” into a conversation. And I’m constantly “LOL’ing” even though I know better. Yet is it easier and actually considered more socially acceptable to type “LOL” instead of “Wow, that was really funny. I spit out a little of my drink when I laughed at your last comment.”
I’m going to write a letter a day. I’m on day six now.
The first letter I wrote was to the company that makes All laundry soap. I bought a bottle of their detergent and have been suffering with a missing spout. It wasn’t until the bottle was nearly empty that I realized the spout was there. It was just down inside the soap. So, I wrote to let them know. Here is it six days later and in today’s mail I received a very nice letter from them. Not only a nice letter but a coupon for a free bottle or box of All.
Not sure if my letter writing campaign can bring back good old fashioned letter writing but I’m going to do my part to try. Yes, I’llcontinue to write my notes to companies and chat with friends on Facebook. But, I’m also going to be using quite a few stamps!

So, I’m constantly in wonder over what goes through my son’s mind each day. Today it took me about 30 minutes to get him out of bed and on the way to getting dressed. I begged, pleaded, bribed and finally waved breakfast under his nose. He was able to get up, eat his breakfast and get mostly dressed. He needed socks. Drat…no matched socks to be found. Which brings up the question of where do boy’s socks go? The girls always have socks but Will’s socks disappear after each wearing. I bought 3 packs of black no-show socks. We used to call them footies when only girls wore them. But, now they’re “no-show” and they’re new and cool. Just wait, the little ball on the heel will make a comeback soon!
I matched a pair of socks for the boy and went to take out the trash. He met me at the car completely dressed. Or so I thought. He got buckled into the seat then realized he needed his wallet. He ran back in the house to find the wallet. He came back very proud that he’d found it on his own. He rebuckled and then said “oh no. I have to go get my other sock. I only put on one.”
I have to wonder what distracted him so much that he put on one sock and shoe then forgot to put on the other sock.
One of his little quirks is that he has to put on one sock, one shoe then the other sock and shoe. It’s such a process that I am amazed he would miss a step!
Finally, both socks and shoes on his feet, wallet in his pocket and he was ready!! Off to school he went.

We do everything we do because we love our family. Why is that when something doesn’t go just so for our children they blame us? I guess that’s all part of motherhood. Nobody taught us that while doing what we consider a super important job we’d be constantly cut down and told why we don’t do it right. Where’s that stupid handbook?

If I try to wake my daughter up after she’s been up texting way past her bedtime I’m the bad guy. When she misses the bus because she didn’t get up on time it is my fault because the bus was early. We all know it had nothing to do with her oversleeping.

One can only hope that this will soon stop when her friends are driving. But, will that be any better? I think not. Then we have to worry that all of those unorganized, uncoordinated, egocentric teens are actually behind the wheel! And, what’s worse, behind the wheel with other similar teens in the vehicle with them!
I guess we give up the fight and realize we are the lame, useless adults our children think we are at least 80% of the time.

I enjoy getting to try a few new things. It is nice because I so rarely get to do things just for me with the family always in need!
I am a member of bzzagent and if you aren’t, then you should be! They are a wonderful company. It is CoverGirl’s 50th Anniversary and they have a ton of fun things going on right now. Check them out on Facebook or bzzagent!

I guess I lulled myself into a false sense of security. I thought my son had stopped doing many of the things he does. The therapy is paying off. Things are good. I can relax, right?
Wrong!! Today I ventured into his room and found so many things that just didn’t belong. He had:
Parts of a saddle
A package of Swine Dip
A boobies bracelet
Blush and a blush brush
A sign listing which of his teachers are the hottest and why (complete with pictures cut from his most recent yearbook)

With the exception of the last item none of these items belong to him. How and where he got them I have little or no idea.
What goes through his mind that makes him think he needs these items? Swine dip? Really? Does he even know what that is? I’m not sure I do but I can venture a guess. Now I’m wondering if that’s what he had an allergic reaction to on Thursday.

Did he feel like he needed to freshen up with a little dip and blush to impress the hot teachers?
Sometimes I just hope that day that this all seems funny comes soon. I’m not sure how much calm I have left in me.

My son went to see the endocrinologist. She ordered several tests…a bone age scan, a full body scan and blood work. Well, getting a 130 pound boy to sit for blood work just wasn’t happening. I tried everything I knew. We tried coaxing, bribing, distracting and even called in the “child life” specialist. She tried her bag of tricks. All in all there were six of us in the room trying to get this one little boy to let them take a vial of blood.

So, we’ll have to try again later.

Our next stop is the geneticist. Still waiting to hear who we are to see. The way Texas Children’s works is they call you. It seems like forever until you hear from them. We’re to go back to the endocrinologist in six months. Joys.

My mother in law was hospitalized for 10 days with heart issues. She is now doing great and is home.

My dad is having issues with his neck. Can’t move it at all. We’re hoping it’s because he stopped taking one of his meds. It seems one of the side effects can be joint pain. Fingers crossed that’s all that it is.

The bullying is still out of control at my son’s school. Another student transferred because of it. Not sure why their transfer request was accepted and ours was denied. Although, I’ve heard that since the school has been in the media due to bullying they’re granting the requests more often now. Maybe I’ll have to try again!

Hubby is still working mega hours for no extra money. Anyone have a job for a really great corporate controller?

Eldest daughter fell off of her longboard and scraped her knee. She faulted me for asking why she was longboarding in a semi deserted parking garage at 10:30 at night instead of being concerned about her knee. Call me crazy but when a child calls laughing about an incident you typically assume they are okay and can then start nagging about the whys and wheres that the incident happened, right? She’s fine.

A group of “ladies” at my son’s school are being bullies (wonder where the kids get it, eh?). It got so bad I had to go to the principal to ask him to have them leave me alone. How very sad is that?

The good part is a new week is about to start. I can’t wait to see what it will bring!!!